


glow

by caeos



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Confessions, Fluff, M/M, Pining, akaashi is bad at feelings, but by god is he trying his best, i continue to be bad at tagging and summaries fml
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-05 19:29:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18372599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caeos/pseuds/caeos
Summary: Akaashi's self worth issues come up against the full force enthusiasm of Bokuto's fondness for Fukurodani's more guarded setter.What better way to deal with his problems than a three step plan to avoid him?Not that he imagined Bokuto would have ever made it an easy task for him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again!  
> fun fact: this was actually the first multi-chapter thing i wrote when i was getting back into writing (before i'd even started high rise) so i hope you enjoy it!  
> almost a 5 + 1 fic but from someone much lazier lmao

Bokuto was a lot to deal with, a full throttle force pretty much 24/7 - Akaashi found him incomprehensible, not that he minded basking in the glow of his upperclassman.  
  
It had come to the attention of the entire volleyball team that others had started to reap the benefits of time with Bokuto, calling down from the bleachers and crowding their table at lunch. Some people even shuffled their desks closer to him in lessons, though they weren't sure how much of Bokuto's _glow_ could be transferred to intellectual enquiry.   
It never affected play - Bokuto liked the sound of his own name so whatever admirer was cheering him on from the balcony only aided in their practises.  
  
All but one of the members had noticed a different development - no matter what cute girl was yelling his name, Bokuto always sought out approval from their setter.  
Bouncing about Akaashi eagerly after every spike and nearly winding him with triumphant chest bumps.  
Akaashi was aware, despite what the other teammates believed, it was actually becoming quite troubling.  
  
Contrary to popular belief, Akaashi _liked_ spending time with Bokuto - he liked it a lot.  
Because, brash as he might be, there was something so tremendously endearing about their captain. Captivating, even, though Akaashi was beginning to realise being ' _caught_ ' didn't feel so bad at all.  
  
At first it had just been the attention, Akaashi had never been one to _pine_ for attention but when Bokuto first started hanging out with him he relished in the whispers of his classmates.

 _‘Isn’t that the volleyball captain?’_  
  
_‘He’s an upperclassman, what’s he doing in here?’_  
  
_‘Is that Akaashi with him?’_  
  
Even now he could feel himself flushing red at how special Bokuto’s undivided attention made him feel, it would have been pathetic if he hadn’t realised that Bokuto tended to have that effect on people.  
His brutal honesty and passion, even his wild shifts in mood, were a welcome break from the everyday trials of high school.  
  
Everyone wanted to root for him, most of all he made you want to root for yourself.  
  
Recently though it had become apparent how much Bokuto looked up to Akaashi, it was a little daunting almost, to live up to his expectations. To cast a looming shadow in the golden glow of his eyes, one you could never live up to.  
  
After all, Bokuto was their ace, the heart of the team. But most of all he was a senior. Next year… he’d be gone.  
Not absent, Akaashi knew better than to think Bokuto would stray too far to visit whenever he could and revel in the days of his youth.   
But he couldn't _stay_ \- and Akaashi would never want him to, not if it stopped him from reaching his full potential.  
Except leaving - _evolving_ \- meant he’d be around new people, new friends, new setters.  
  
For the longest time, Akaashi found himself thinking: _what if I’m holding him back?_

Taking a step back from Bokuto wasn't a decision taken lightly but if Akaashi was too assess the situation he had to have full view of all the interfering factors - and that meant distance, physically and emotionally.  
How to achieve that was another matter entirely.  
Withholding compliments from Bokuto just made him more eager to please - not to mention that Akaashi didn’t revel in being particular cruel to him.  
Showering him with them, however, made him… uncooperative.  
Once, in a moment of sheer adrenaline rush, Akaashi had hugged Bokuto in the middle of practise. They’d had to call in one of the managers to check him over as he’d gone so silent and flushed that Akaashi thought he was going to pass out.  
  
So Akaashi decided to continue as usual but make genuine excuses to distance himself from Bokuto, naturally that was hard within practise so he focused on avoiding Bokuto outside of that.  
  
It'd be so easy to fall away from Akaashi, right into the arms of someone more deserving. Maybe then Bokuto would realise that… he wasn't worthy of the adoration Bokuto showered him with.  
  
Thus began Akaashi’s three step plan to Bokuto evasion.

 

**Step One: No more lunches together.**

This was the easiest step to avoid, Akaashi didn’t like to be watched eating and Bokuto ate enough to make him nauseous, though he supposed all his energy required constant fuelling.  
Not to mention Bokuto talked with his mouth full.  
  
Ever since their ace had began to attract a modest following of gawking students Akaashi had taken to finding the two of them a secluded space to eat. Seclusion wasn't exactly a top priority of Bokuto, he'd find himself a more fitting routine in no time, Akaashi told himself.  
  
The simplest way to evade him was to eat in another room, so as the bell for lunch rang he quickly packed away his things and slid out his usual class to find a quiet classroom to eat in - one far from his captain's radar.  
  
He found a sparsely populated one eventually, the only students were from his year so they nodded a greeting as he set himself up at the back of the class and breathed a sigh of relief.  
This wasn’t so bad, sure it was _quiet_ and he'd started to become too aware of the sound of his own chewing but better his own than Bokuto’s he supposed.  
  
Then came the knocking.  
  
Instinctively, he looked to the door but found it wide open, as was customary for lunch time.  
As his ears settled on the noise he turned to its source.  
  
_The window?_  
  
‘Akaashi!’ Bokuto exclaimed, muffled through both the pane of glass between them and food from the canteen shoved into his mouth to free up his hands. One hand was clinging to a beam above the window whilst the other pawed at it expectantly, like a puppy that had been shut out of the house.  
  
‘Bokuto-san?!’ His jaw dropped, he wasn’t often _surprised_ by Bokuto’s antics but this was… something else.  
They weren’t on the ground floor, _how had he gotten up here?_  
  
Nevermind that, Akaashi sprang from his seat and pushed the window open so Bokuto could slide in sheepishly - not fast enough apparently as Bokuto’s food was splattered sorrowfully on the ground below.  
Thankfully without their ace joining it though, _silver linings Keiji, silver linings_.   
  
‘Phew, thanks! Thought I was going to fall for a second there!’ Bokuto laughed, loosening his tie a little more as he hopped down from the windowsill.  
  
‘Bokuto- _how?_ ’ Was all Akaashi managed to choke out.  
  
‘Washio texted me, said you were in here looking all sad by yourself.’  
  
Sure enough, there in the corner was their middle blocker who had seemingly also come in here for some peace and quiet.  
Though Washio wasn't one to _meddle_ , just how dismal had Akaashi's expression been?  
  
‘Not that-' Akaashi sighed, removing his shaking palms from Bokuto's shoulders as he returned to his seat. 'How did you even get up here?'  
  
‘I climbed!’ Bokuto replied, like it was the most obvious route in the world.  
  
‘What if you had fallen?’ Akaashi said, exasperated.  
  
‘But I didn’t!’ Akaashi just sighed again, sometimes it was better not to argue.  
  
‘Wow, Bokuto-san, you climbed all the way up here?’ Bokuto turned to the source of the compliment almost instantly. 'You must be really strong.'  
  
Akaashi recognised the girl from his year, she was surrounded by her friends who were looking at both her and Bokuto expectantly - oh this was _it_.  
  
Of course this girl would have to understand the responsibility she was undertaking by courting Bokuto, not that Bokuto wasn't self-sufficient, but she'd have to understand all his small quirks.  
  
Like his tendency to throw all outer garments haphazardly out behind him when he entered a building. Or that there was a strand of hair behind his ear that, try though he might, would not go up into his updo - he was self-conscious about it, Akaashi would have to warn her not to bring it up.  
He pondered just how long it'd take to go through his itemised list of Bokuto's weaknesses - _maybe he should type it up for her_ \- before he was snapped back into reality.  
  
‘Yeah!’ Bokuto flexed and Akaashi watched the sleeves of his rolled up blazer strain at the movement, the veins in his forearms and back of his hands popping a little from the exertion of climbing.  
  
There had to be a strategical reason Akaashi had started to become so distracted by Bokuto's arms lately, or maybe it was his clothes.  
All Bokuto's shirts were tight fitting at the shoulders yet too long for his torso and arms, hence rolling them up - Akaashi made a mental note to take them both out shopping sometime...  
_Oh wait!_ This girl could come too - although Akaashi wasn't sure how much help she'd be picking out men's shirts, another time perhaps.  
  
‘You’re the captain of the volleyball team aren’t you? And the ace?’ Bokuto flushed red as the girl rolled onto the balls of her feet.  
  
Bokuto Weakness Number Fourteen: he blushes too easily, could make it easier for opponents to pick up on his emotions.  
  
‘Yeah, my spikes are the best!’ Bokuto had the tendency to give himself the compliments he wanted to hear from other people, this time though his face dropped a little, as if ashamed. ‘But I wouldn’t be able to spike without my setter!’ Bokuto clapped him between the shoulders, snapping his attention away from those toned forearms and thrusting him into the conversation.  
  
‘Setter?’ The girl looked a little nervous now Akaashi had been brought into the conversation. _Yo_ _u and me both_ , Akaashi thought.  
  
‘He’s the one that lets me spike at one-hundred and twenty percent power!’ Bokuto explained triumphantly. Flexing, _again._  
  
‘That’s impossible, Bokuto-san,’ Akaashi drawled, wishing Bokuto would give him some warning before complimenting him so publicly.  
  
‘Until I find my limit I can’t accurately ascertain what one-hundred percent of my ability looks like, can I?’ He was looking at him with that intense half-lidded glare that he usually reserved for intimidating rival teams.  
Akaashi felt hot beneath the collar, and everywhere else for that matter, maybe he should open that window again.  
  
The girl had left - Akaashi was vaguely aware that he wasn’t sure exactly _how long_ they’d been sat in silence just staring at one another.  
He let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding when Bokuto’s expression softened, eyes growing wide as he crossed his arms on the desk and rested his chin atop them - pouting a little.  
  
‘Did I use that word right, Akaashi?’ Bokuto whined looking up at him, golden eyes swimming in shades of amber.  
  
‘Yes, Bokuto-san.'  
  
Akaashi had offered the rest of his lunch to Bokuto, he knew he’d only steal bits and pieces anyway - he’d rather Bokuto be fully energised for practise this evening.  
  
So they talked a little, Akaashi tried not to get distracted by the bobbing of Bokuto’s throat as he drank from Akaashi’s water bottle - with his tie all but undone and his shirt two buttons open from the top he had all all too enticing view of Bokuto’s neck and strong shoulders.  
  
‘What you lookin’ at?’ Bokuto asked, eyebrow quirked as he stared Akaashi down.  
_Crap_ , he’d been caught staring.  
  
‘Bokuto-san,’ he drew out his name in a way that made Bokuto’s eyes widen, leaning over the desk to pull Bokuto towards him by the tie. ‘I thought upperclassmen were meant to be a better influence on the younger years.’  
  
He smiled lightly, tugging Bokuto forward another inch or so as his slender fingers worked over Bokuto’s open buttons before sliding up his tie to fix in back in place.  
  
‘Now how long is it going to stay like that?’ Akaashi asked, knowing better than to think he could ever make Bokuto wear his uniform properly.  
  
Bokuto was already putting two fingers under his tie to loosen it again before Akaashi finished talking, he laughed lightly and Bokuto looked less apologetic as he undid his top button again.  
  
The ringing of the bell signalling the end of lunch broke them out of their little domestic moment, Akaashi asked Bokuto to pack away his things as he took their trash to the bin.  
  
As he returned he recognised the crease in Bokuto’s brow, he was about to do something stupid.  
  
Right on cue Bokuto slipped a finger around Akaashi’s belt and tugged him forward, eyes thankfully not trained on Akaashi’s rapidly reddening face.  
A palm pressed against the front of Akaashi’s abdomen and slid purposefully down past the waistband of his trousers.  
  
Akaashi stumbled back a little at the contact but Bokuto still had a finger caught around his belt so he didn’t make it far before he was being tugged forwards onto stable footing again.  
  
With eyes wide in shock, Akaashi caught a glimpse of Bokuto’s expression, his tongue was poking out as if the task at hand - which was apparently sticking his hands down Akaashi’s pants in the middle of a steadily filling classroom - was taking all of his concentration.  
  
Eventually Bokuto’s eyes met his own, he mirrored Akaashi’s expression as he jumped backwards.  
  
‘Sorry Akaashi!’ Bokuto wailed, butchering the amount of syllables he added to Akaashi’s name as per usual which added some normalcy back to the interaction. ‘Your shirt was untucked at the front and you always fix my uniform for me.’  
  
It took only a moment longer for Akaashi to train his expression to something feigning neutrality. ‘It’s okay Bokuto, just give me some warning next time.’  
  
He almost regretted the words instantly.  
  
_Next time_.  
  
Insinuating there was going to be another occasion for Bokuto to stick his hands down his pants.  
  
It made Bokuto glow redder than he felt.  
  
And just like that step one had failed, Akaashi internally kicked himself.  
  
That girl had been trying to flirt with Bokuto and he’d let himself be dragged into the conversation, he’d ruined it, just because Bokuto was too blind to see other people who could shower him with the affection he deserved.  
Who couldn't list every 'flaw' about him in a calculated manner, who simply got to discover them for themselves.  
  
Then he’d gone and done something stupid like let his physical attraction completely derail his usual train of thought.  
  
But hey, that’s why this was a three step plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gah, i really don't know about the start of this fic but i knew if i keep fretting about it i'd never post it so here you go!  
> i love the owls so much you have no idea, i really hope you enjoy this!  
> all comments and kudos are appreciated :D


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i continue to be equally anxious about posting jfc, please enjoy though!!

**Step Two: No more walking home together.**

This one was a little more difficult.  
It was both a blessing and curse that they lived so close to each other, after a long day at school it was nice to not have to rack up conversation - just let Bokuto fill the silence between them without expecting a vocal response in return.  
  
...Though the silence was nice too. When Bokuto would look dead ahead or up towards the sky, watching the birds, and he'd simply _shine_.  
  
Now, however, it made it difficult to avoid him, it was near impossible on days they had practise considering they both would stay behind to run spiking drills.  
  
On the rare occasion they didn’t have an after school practise Akaashi decided to try it, slipping out of his last lesson as quickly as possible and breezing out of the school gates before any silver-haired upperclassman could track him down.  
  
It felt a little cruel, Bokuto was likely to wait for him.  
Once he was far enough away to not see the students streaming out from the school grounds he text Bokuto to let him know he’d already left.  
  
There, two birds, one stone - or perhaps one bird, two stones?  
  
Instead of dwelling on it he turned his eyes down to his feet and walked on in silence, only perking up when he became aware of the three figures walking behind him.  
  
They were from his school, he recognised the uniform - if he racked his brain perhaps he could pick out the sports team they were from.  
Football? Probably. At least one of them had a footballer vibe about him.  
  
When they disappeared from sight he relaxed, their footsteps behind him no longer making him quicken his pace.  
  
Until they reappeared directly in front of him.  
  
One of them had grass and mud stains all over his uniform - the footballer.  
The other was short, Hinata levels of short, but he’d met Nishinoya too and knew that height had nothing to do with how severe you could be.  
  
The third was… wait, he _did_ know this guy. He was in his year, Akaashi couldn’t match a name to his face but he was certain they had classes together.  
  
‘Excuse me,’ Akaashi said dryly, slowing to a stop in front of them as they blocked the path.  
  
When they didn’t move he stepped onto the road to go around them - the footballer put out his hand, slamming him in the chest.  
  
‘Not so fast,’ said the guy from his year.  
  
‘What do you want?’ Akaashi asked, already tired of this exchange.  
  
‘I heard you were talking with Asuka the other day,’ he replied, kicking a stone at his feet that clattered into Akaashi’s shoes as he stepped back onto the pavement.  
  
‘Yes, I suppose so?’ _The girl he talked to with Bokuto… that was Asuka right?_  
  
‘You know she’s my girlfriend, don't you?’ He continued, stepping out of line to look down at Akaashi.  
There wasn't much difference in height between them, it seemed to throw the other guy off, _good_.

‘Congratulations,’ Akaashi deadpanned. Judging on how she was flirting with Bokuto he couldn’t comment on the accuracy of that statement. ‘Now let me past.’  
  
‘You’re not trying to steal my girlfriend are you, _Akaashi_?’ The guy took another step closer. _Ugh,_ so this guy _did_ know him, how irritating.  
  
‘I have no interest in her, no,’ he replied, thoughts filled with golden eyes and silver hair. ‘But possessiveness isn’t an attractive quality.’  
  
‘You talking back now?’ Akaashi felt his feet be swept from beneath him as he was thrown up against the wall.  
Maybe he should be a _little_ more cautious with his words, he thought, as the three boys bared down on him.  
  
‘Hey,’ he recognised the voice instantly, but it was an octave lower than usual - gruff and jarring - a tone foreign to Akaashi’s ears. ‘Put him down.’  
  
‘Piss off,’ said the smallest, at the same time the footballer studied Bokuto carefully with a hint of recognition.  
There was something in his expression that Akaashi had never seen before: genuine rage. His nose twitched in anger, upper lip peeling back slightly as if snarling.  
Akaashi was well aware that Bokuto could appear intimidating, he was over six foot tall and built like a brick shithouse, though _he'd_ never considered him unnerving - maybe because both of those facts kind of turned him into a puddle of _want_.  
  
‘I’m fi-’ the lie was ripped from his chest as the ringleader kneed him in the gut and Akaashi keeled forward.  
  
Everything happened in an instant, the two smaller boys sprang back at the sudden violent turn and as Akaashi braced himself for the next hit he felt the weight be torn off him.  
  
Thrown off balance, he was barely able to take in the scene as he fell, Bokuto was crouched over the ringleader who was sprawled on the ground and pinned - Bokuto's knee digging into his sternum.  
  
Akaashi winced as he hit the pavement and sucked in the same exhalation of breath as he realised Bokuto’s arm was raised.  
_He was actually going to punch the guy._  
  
‘Bokuto-san!’ It came out as fast as it did when he called for Bokuto to spike and the effect was just an instantaneous.  
  
Bokuto’s arm dropped and he picked himself up off the ringleader, turning to Akaashi.  
As he knelt down beside him he placed a steady hand on Akaashi's shoulder, turning his icy glare - the one that reminded Akaashi why their team was represented by a bird of prey - onto the three boys.  
  
They fled without incident.  
  
‘Oof, you really saved me there, Akaashi, I thought I might actually have had to fight that guy!’ Bokuto smiled weakly, standing and offering a hand down to Akaashi. ‘You okay?’  
  
He wasn’t, he’d fallen on something sharp and cut the trough of his left palm bad enough to be painful but thankfully minor enough to not affect his setting ability, he thought as he assessed his injury.  
  
‘You’re bleeding!’ Bokuto exclaimed, falling to his knees again as he rooted through his gym bag, thankfully taking the brunt of the conversation as usual.  
  
He found what he had been searching for - pulling his volleyball shorts out of his bag with a flourish and pressing them to Akaashi’s bleeding palm.  
The ‘thank you’ Akaashi had been working up to was lost as he grimaced in both pain and distaste at Bokuto’s sweaty shorts and their attempt to stem the bleed.  
  
‘Can you stand?’ Bokuto offered his hand out again and helped hold the material in place as they began to walk. ‘Can you talk?’ He seemed a little worried by Akaashi’s silence now.  
  
‘Thank you, Koutarou,’ Bokuto blinked owlishly for a second before responding with a broad smile, blushing madly at the cracks in Akaashi's usual polite demeanour.   
A wave of guilt washed over Akaashi. ‘I’m sorry I didn't wait for you.’  
  
‘No worries! As soon as I got your text I ran to catch up,’ Bokuto grinned, pounding his free hand against his chest with pride.  
  
‘You _ran?_ ’ Akaashi hadn’t meant for it to come out so dripping in fondness but it just served to brightened the ruddy glow in Bokuto’s cheeks.  
  
‘Of course, I get lonely walking home by myself-’ _hello again guilt._  ‘I didn’t want you to feel that too!’  
  
And instantly that guilt was washed away by a wave of pure adoration as Bokuto smiled at him wildly, tightening his grip on Akaashi’s hand.  
He winced and Bokuto leapt into a sea of apologies before returning his grip.  
  
That’s right, they’d been holding hands this whole time, hadn’t they? With the thin veil of Bokuto’s gross shorts disguising the action as something of medical importance.  
  
It had come so naturally that Akaashi hadn’t even registered his heart rate picking up at the contact.  
He was almost certain his palm would have stopped bleeding by now but he wasn’t going to tell Bokuto that.  
Bokuto's hands were warm and steady, something he could trust, something that made him realise he hadn't even begun to shake ever since Bokuto showed up.  
Why would he? As long as Bokuto was there he didn't have to overthink, that's how it always was.  
  
‘You’re amazing, Bokuto.’ Bokuto stopped dead in his tracks as Akaashi processed what he'd said.  
For a second he thought he saw tears in his eyes.  
  
Bokuto’s head came down to rest on his shoulder, free hand wrapping around Akaashi’s forearm as he let out an emotional cry of some semblance of Akaashi’s name.  
  
As Akaashi laced their fingers together Bokuto hissed in pain.  
  
'You're not hurt are you?' Akaashi fretted, pulling the fabric out from between them. Bokuto snaked his hand away and Akaashi felt colder at the loss of contact.

'Oh,' Bokuto began, noting the grazes on his knuckles from where he'd fallen against the sidewalk. 'I guess I am.'

Tutting, Akaashi threw the shorts over Bokuto's shoulder and dug about his bag for a bottle of water to wash the grit from the wound. 

'I don't want you getting in any more fights, especially not on my account,' Akaashi said, holding Bokuto's hand still as the water washed over it.  
  
'I've never been in a fight before, Akaashi!' Bokuto insisted, nearly jostling the bottle out from Akaashi's hand. 'I just saw them harassing you and I got so... fucking  _mad_.'  
His jaw was clenched, free hand clenched into a fist at his side as he shook water droplets from the other.  
  
'But I'm here, I'm fine,' Akaashi sighed, taking Bokuto's hands in his own and pressing them either side of his neck to feel the thrum of his pulse, he was _okay_.  
Bokuto's thumbs pushed up under Akaashi's jawline, tilting his head up towards him as his fingertips pushed into the hair at the nape of his neck.  
  
A water droplet traced the path of Akaashi's jugular, the cold a stark contrast against the hot air between them.  
  
'Besides,' Akaashi began - if only to break the tension - a devilish smile on his face that made Bokuto's eyes widen.  
Sliding his hand down to Bokuto's elbow, he tugged forward, throwing Bokuto around him and back against the wall, light enough to only startle him.  
'I can handle myself just fine.'  
  
He released Bokuto from his grip, removing the hand splayed out over his chest, continuing their walk home as Bokuto picked his jaw up off the pavement.  
  
'Wow, Akaashi, that was so cool!' Bokuto pounced on his back, the comforting weight of his arm slung over Akaashi's shoulders - he'd stopped trying to shrug him off some time ago. 'Teach me how to do that!'  
  
'Only if you promise not to use it in a fight,' Akaashi teased, resting his hand over Bokuto's.  
  
'I promise,' he mumbled.  
  
'Bokuto, I can _feel_ you crossing your fingers,' Akaashi said, looking pointedly at Bokuto's overlapped fingers on his shoulder.  
  
'But it'd be so cool!' Bokuto sighed, awe-struck. 'You'd be scared, right?'  
  
'Mmm, _terrified_ ,' Akaashi hummed as Bokuto practically skipped along beside him.  
  
'Akaashi,' Bokuto whined, slumping forward. 'You're mocking me.'  
  
'No really, I'm shaking in my boots.'  
  
'Akaashi!!' Bokuto scolded.  
  
'Look, feel my heartbeat,' Akaashi brought Bokuto's arm tighter about him to rest his hand over over his heart. His heartbeat  _was_ taking off of its own accord, not out of _fear_  but Bokuto didn't need to know what.  
  
'Whoa,' Bokuto said, feeling the thudding beneath his palm, face falling instantly. 'You're that scared of me?'  
  
Akaashi laughed, pulling Bokuto's arm back about him as he tried to retreat. 'Not even a little.'  
He wrapped an arm about Bokuto's midsection, holding him against his side, solid and steady.  
  
How they were now, in school, in life - that wasn't forever.  
But he wanted to evolve with Bokuto, whatever kind of man he turned into, Akaashi wanted to be there to see it.  
He wanted to be there when his star captain went supernova.  
They held on a little tighter, Akaashi threading his fingers through the gaps between Bokuto's.  
Sure, maybe he couldn't stop Bokuto slipping through his fingers on his own, but _together?_ That they could manage.  
  
It seemed step two was also a bust and as Bokuto’s thumb rubbed circles on Akaashi’s skin he was beginning to lose faith in this three step plan.  
Though perhaps, with Bokuto pressed tight against him, he didn't mind that at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm entering my final exam season so this will either update sporadically or one day after another depending on how much i procrastinate lmao  
> comments and kudos are very appreciated, as usual!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Step Three: Under NO circumstances bring him home**

Akaashi and Bokuto liked to study together - Akaashi was a little more studious than his elder but Bokuto had the benefits of having already learned what Akaashi was going through in his classes whilst Akaashi could fill the gaps in Bokuto’s selective senior intelligence.  
  
Maybe ‘liked’ was too strong a word - Bokuto was a nightmare to tutor but Akaashi found that if he offered some spiking practise after finishing up their work they managed to get it done pretty succinctly.  
So no, he wasn’t above bribery.  
  
Most of these studying sessions happened outside of school, mainly at Bokuto’s residence as they’d once been kicked out of the local library for being noisy and Akaashi didn’t have the resolve to show his face there again.  
  
His house had always been off limits, though his parents were quite introverted they didn’t object to Akaashi bringing friends home, but Akaashi knew the outcome would be even more insufferable than anger.  
They’d _adore_ Bokuto. If Akaashi brought Bokuto into his home there’d be no guarantee that he’d ever leave.  
  
But this time it’d be different, this weekend he wasn’t going to study with Bokuto and he even had an _actual excuse_ ; his parents were out of town for the weekend and he was in charge of looking after the family dog, Mocha.  
  
‘Hey, hey, hey!’ He hadn’t even left the school grounds before he felt a warm embrace about his shoulders as Bokuto wrapped an arm around him.  
Sarukui greeted him with a small wave as the rest of the volleyball third years fell in place about him.  
  
‘You are _not_ all walking me home,’ Akaashi sighed as he eyed Bokuto scanning the crowd.  
  
‘We’re not, we’re just chilling with our favourite setter,’ Komi interjected, also glancing over the students around him - overshadowed by Washio who looked even more prickly than usual.  
  
‘And if we happen to run into the shitheads who gave you a hard time-’  
  
‘Konoha,’ Akaashi said warningly.  
  
‘Yeah, I didn’t say anything about fighting them!’ Bokuto added.  
  
‘So this was your idea, Bokuto-san?’ Akaashi teased, feeling Bokuto’s arm tense around him as he realised he’d said too much.  
‘I imagine they would have gone after me whether you were there or not, it wasn’t your fault. Besides...’ Akaashi trailed off, snaking his fingers beneath Bokuto's t-shirt and across the small of his back, feeling him shiver against the cold of his hand. 'I doubt they'll be bothering me again.'  
  
‘So what’re your plans for the weekend?’ Saru said to no one in particular, in what Akaashi assumed to be an attempt to lighten the mood.  
  
‘Me and Akaashi are studying together this weekend,’ Bokuto beamed, jostling Akaashi slightly in his arms but not enough to warrant dislodging him.  
  
‘Bokuto, I told you I can’t make it to yours this weekend,’ Akaashi replied. Bokuto let out an over dramatic cry, dragging his feet and leaning his full weight on Akaashi's shoulders, nearly driving the both of them headfirst into the shrubbery. ‘I’m looking after Mocha.’  
  
He’d made a mistake mentioning his dog, Bokuto’s eyes lit up instantly and Akaashi could tell he was trying to suppress a smile at the mere mention of her name.  
  
‘Mocha?’ Konoha questioned.  
  
‘His dog,’ Bokuto supplied eagerly, still fighting back that grin.  
  
‘Bokuto, you _can’t_. You know my parents don’t like guests.’ It wasn’t a total lie but it had kept him out his home for this long.  
  
‘Your parents aren’t going to be there right?’  
And that arm returned about his shoulders but this time it was burning hot against his skin, pressed right up against the back of his neck - he could feel the muscles flex as Bokuto tightened his grip and whispered into Akaashi’s ear. It was times like this that Akaashi truly appreciated their height difference, no matter how slight.  
His breath was hot against his skin yet still made him shiver.  
‘So what’s the problem?’  
  
‘Bokuto-san, are you inviting yourself over?’ Akaashi asked, leaning into Bokuto’s touch as he turned his head to face him.  
They were close enough that Akaashi could count the pale freckles speckled across Bokuto's cheeks, drowned out by the faint flush of red across the bridge of his nose.  
Their noses brushed, Akaashi didn't mind.  
  
This exchange felt far too intimate. Akaashi wanted to back out of it - well that was a _lie_ \- the selfish part of him that wanted Bokuto all to himself was at the reigns now, the part of him that wanted Bokuto between his thighs and in the palm of his hands.  
Whatever small voice that told him he didn’t deserve Bokuto was silenced as Bokuto rested his forehead against Akaashi's own.  
  
‘Akaashi,’ Bokuto drawled out his name, it wasn’t a yes or no response but it was the one Akaashi was most accustomed to hearing from his senior. ‘I want to meet your puppy.’  
  
‘She’s not a puppy,’ Akaashi chuckled, wrapping an arm around Bokuto's midsection and pulling him along as they separated from the rest of the team and continued on their way home.  
  
***  
  
They texted a little after they both got home, as per usual, Akaashi’s parents had left sometime after tea - he’d cleaned up after them and taken Mocha out for a long evening walk before returning and washing up for bed.  
  
A notification came through on his phone, a snapchat from Bokuto.  
  
He preferred texting, all his teammates knew that, but they were also awful bullies who revelled in getting sneak shots of themselves zooming in on Akaashi's face at random points throughout the day.  
He couldn’t count all the times he’d been expecting an important message and just gotten his teammates howling with laughter as the filter glitched on and off his blissfully unaware face.  
  
The picture was dark, barely enough light to make out the curve of his jaw or highlights across his cheekbones, but the white text was clear as day:  
  
_**send pics**_  
  
And Akaashi nearly had an aneurysm before another snap came in seconds later:  
  
_**of ur dog  
**_  
Akaashi typed his two letter response which was almost immediately followed up by a video of Bokuto wailing his name in despair (before being scolded by a distant voice which Akaashi assumed was his older sister) and Akaashi was thankful that his parents were out of the house.  
  
Mocha cocked her head at the unexplained noise and let out a quiet boof to assert dominance. He felt a small smile playing on his lips as he typed out a response.  
  
_you woke up Mocha_  
**_nooooooo, tell her i’m sorry :’(_**  
_some crimes can never be forgiven_  
**_akaaaaaaaaaaaashi_**  
_you can apologise to her tomorrow in person_  
**_(*´꒳`*)_ _  
_**  
A moment or two past where Akaashi's fingers hovered over the keypad, unsure how to respond.  
Fortunately, as usual when Akaashi couldn’t find the words Bokuto found some for him.  
  
**_were you asleep?_**  
**_did i wake you up?_**  
**_i’m sorry if i did (◞‸◟；)_**  
_no, i was awake, why do you ask?_  
**_u never send pictures, akaashi_**  
_what do you want to see?_  
  
He’d hit send before he’d realised how that message could be misinterpreted, he threw his phone down onto the pillow beside him as he let out a short and sweet screech into the back of his hand. His fingers were shaking, heartbeat all aflutter.  
  
The sudden movement caught Mocha’s attention again, she plodded up the bed and nosed at Akaashi’s fingers until he released his face from underneath his palms. Once he began to pet her she settled down beside him and Akaashi finally built up the courage to check his notifications.   
  
Bokuto had replied:  
  
**You!**  
  
God he was thankful that Bokuto never usually sought out innuendos.  
The tight feeling in his gut uncoiled.  
  
_you see me everyday_  
**_i wanna see you now_**  
  
Akaashi felt a hot blush rush up his neck, stomach doing flips as he read Bokuto’s message.  
If this was how Bokuto acted with his friends Akaashi didn’t know if he’d survive being anything more.  
  
Okay, this was it, Bokuto liked how he looked, right? He couldn’t look _bad_ in a picture, right?  
  
A quick test shot with the flash dashed his confidence.  
He tugged open the curtains a little to let in more light before trying again - making sure Mocha wasn’t visible, he wasn’t going to give in to _that_ demand so easy.  
  
_There, that looked nice_. And he hit send before he could over analyse it.  
  
[screenshotted by Bokuto]  
  
**_I was right!_**  
_what??_  
**_Kuroo bet that you couldn’t look that beautiful all the time but i believed in you akaashi!! I’m gonna set it as my lockscreen just to rub it in his face!! :3_**  
  
He really didn’t realise what he was saying did he?  
Akaashi’s hand was fisted over his heart which was threatening to beat right out of his chest.  
The tightness in his stomach was replaced with acres and acres of butterflies and somersaults, feeling positively lightheaded at this entire interaction in the best way possible.  
  
Bokuto thought he was _beautiful_. How was he meant to respond to that?  
  
**Ahahaha!! He’s pissed. well i’m going to sleep now. Goodnight akaashi!!**  
  
Akaashi Weakness Number One: He was head over heels for his captain.  
  
And he _hated_ Bokuto Koutarou.  
  
Bokuto Koutarou who talked about him behind his back but only about how beautiful he was, who climbed to the second story of a building to eat lunch with him, who stepped in selflessly to defend him from meat-headed jocks and who gathered his team around him to make sure Akaashi never had to face it alone again.  
  
He was _so_ far gone.  
He couldn't see him tomorrow, he didn’t know how he could ever contort this thrilled grin on his face into something more neutral.  
Because he was choking on the butterflies in his stomach and his heart was so light it felt like he was _flying_.  
  
But he _had_ to see him. He had to pretend not to understand a literature question so Bokuto would lean in close and point out where he’d gone wrong, take his hand and ignore the racing pulse as he'd trace their joint fingers over the lines in the text.  
To have Bokuto snatch his work out from under his nose and hold it over his head when he knew it was time for a break - because god knows Akaashi wasn't as forgiving with himself  
  
He flopped back on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling and waiting for his heartbeat and thrum in his fingertips to calm before settling in for the night.  
_Tomorrow_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if the opportunity presents itself i will insert a dog into everything i write and you cannot stop me.  
> tysm for all your comments and kudos :D


	4. Chapter 4

Bokuto’s family was pretty big, thus his house was never ‘ _clean_ ’ - his older siblings all still lived at home and created adult sized messes in their childhood home.  
Naturally, Bokuto also passed throughout the home like a storm, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.  
  
On the other hand, Akaashi only had one older brother and he was just a bigger, stupider Akaashi so Keiji was used to cleaning up after someone - even after he moved out.  
  
Mocha trailed him as he went room to room, clearing clutter and hiding any particularly embarrassing childhood photos.  
  
Satisfied with his efforts, he returned to his own room to pick out something to wear. This wasn’t too hard, Bokuto was easy to please when it came to fashion considering his wardrobe mainly consisted of volleyball themed items.  
  
Jeans and a t-shirt Bokuto had bought him that definitely had some dumb quote on the back but as long as it was out of his vision he figured he wouldn’t be too exasperated (or endeared) by it - if he French tucked it at the front it’d definitely be suitable.  
  
The bell rang early.  
Though, to be fair, Akaashi had done nothing but sit and fiddle with his fingers for the past ten minutes in anticipation.  
  
It wasn’t a big deal, just his super hot older captain coming over whilst his parents weren’t home to… study.  
  
‘One second!’ He called, catching Mocha by the collar as she growled at the door and shutting her in the side room for a moment.  
  
The second he opened the door he knew this had been a mistake; Bokuto was wearing a baseball shirt with the sleeves pushed back over his forearms. Those fucking _forearms_.  
His jeans were ripped from the thigh down, small slits in the fabric that Bokuto’s muscular legs had split open to a degree of obscenity that had Akaashi weak at the knees.  
  
Worst though were the glasses, he’d heard tale of them before. Apparently Bokuto had bought a non prescription pair of frames, claiming that they made him ‘look smarter’.  
  
The effect was the opposite, he looked positively adorable, the glasses had no nose pads and kept sliding down as he looked to Akaashi through his eyelashes.  
  
‘Puppy,’ was all he heard Bokuto mumble dejectedly.  
  
‘Bokuto, I told you, she’s not a puppy,’ Akaashi scolded fondly, swinging open the door fully and letting him into the house.  
  
‘I’m not working until you show me the puppy, Akaashi,’ Bokuto said, crossing his arms decidedly and looking proud of his ultimatum.  
He could be just as uncooperative off the court as on it.  
  
‘… Okay, but I’m holding you to that promise,’ Akaashi said as he braced himself on the handle of the side room. ‘Are you sure you’re ready?’  
  
Bokuto crouched, as if ready to receive a ball, and steeled his gaze. ‘Release her.’  
  
Bokuto had never met Mocha, nor had Akaashi told him what breed she was.  
For such an introverted family Bokuto had come prepared for the little chocolate coloured toy poodle or pomeranian that was about be released upon him.  
  
What Bokuto wasn’t expecting was the one-hundred pound brindle akita that came barrelling out the door and knocked him down onto his back in an instant.  
  
So Mocha wasn’t a tiny dog. This was fine. This was why Bokuto trained as hard as he did, so he could carry any dog like a tiny dog.  
  
‘Bokuto-san!’ Akaashi cried out, appearing in his vision, looking caught between concern and amusement.  
  
‘I love her!’ Bokuto exclaimed, propping himself up onto his elbows as Mocha licked his face experimentally, seemingly content with his presence.  
  
‘Mocha, come,’ Akaashi ordered, she extracted herself from Bokuto’s bundle of limbs and trotted over to Akaashi’s waiting hand for pets. ‘Are you okay?’  
  
Bokuto had taken to lying flat on his back, chest heaving as he looked towards the ceiling.  
  
‘I can’t study now!’ All of a sudden Bokuto bounced back onto his feet and straightened his askew glasses. ‘She’s too cute!’  
  
‘She’ll be just as cute after we’ve done your math work,’ Akaashi said firmly, finishing off a particularly good chin tickle for Mocha and coming to sit cross-legged at the centre of the room. ‘Or would you prefer to attempt it tomorrow without my help?’ Bokuto scrambled down next to him and pulled out the aforementioned math work.

Bokuto was intolerable when it came to maths, if something didn’t garner his whole attention he very rarely would put all his effort into it, becoming easily distracted.  
Today it was different though, his tongue was sticking out of his mouth as he scribbled thoughtfully over some equations.  
  
He was lying on his chest, ankles crossed behind him as tapped the end of his pencil against his lower lip.  
Those ill-fitted glasses kept slipping down, his free hand coming up to push them back up over the bridge of his nose.  
His brow was furrowed and, despite his usual apprehensiveness towards breaks, Akaashi wanted nothing more than to chase the tension from his jaw with soft kisses.  
  
‘Akaashi?’ Bokuto quirked, brow raised as he looked up at Akaashi’s glazed eyes.  
He blinked once, twice, to shake himself from his daydreaming.  
  
‘Sorry, did you need something?’ Akaashi replied, trying to appear engaged in the conversation whilst his eyes kept falling to Bokuto’s slightly parted lips toying over the edge of his pencil.  
  
‘No, I’m done, could you check my answers?’ Akaashi hummed an affirmative and glanced over his work - all correct - although it had taken them all of an hour to get this far.  
  
Bokuto was unusually quiet as he read, usually he’d be begging to know if this torture-by-mathematics was finally over. Akaashi risked looking over at him and immediately regretted his decision.  
  
Bokuto was sprawled out on his back, hands behind his head as the sleeves of his shirt strained against the movement and the hem hiked itself up to the navel.  
  
His breathing was steady, eyes closed, looking completely at peace - like he did after hitting a particularly good spike.  
Akaashi revelled in that face, where Bokuto was exerting so much force yet his features remained completely blissed out - few got to see it from such a wondrous angle as he did; looking up to a sweaty and dishevelled Bokuto pouring his all into each hit.  
  
‘Koutarou,’ his name garnered his attention immediately, one eye snapping open. ‘It’s a little uncomfortable sitting down here, would you mind if we moved upstairs to my room?’  
  
The shine that passed over Bokuto’s eyes told him that Bokuto would not mind that _at all_.  
  
Akaashi ushered Bokuto up the stairs in front of him, holding out an open palm to Mocha - she recognised the gesture immediately: _stay_.  
  
_Clever girl_ , her tail wagged almost knowingly, _too clever._  
  
Akaashi only had one desk chair in his room but he didn’t have time to negotiate sitting on the floor again as Bokuto dropped his backpack and sprung onto the bed.  
  
‘Wow, Akaashi, you have a double bed!’ Bokuto kicked his legs out and bounced himself a little on the mattress.  
  
‘It used to be my brother’s room, I just inherited it when he moved out,’ Akaashi explained, considering closing the door behind them before remembering: _there was no one else in the house after all_. ‘So what time do you have to be home?’ He asked, sitting down tentatively on the edge of the bed as Bokuto shimmied sidewards to make room.  
  
‘No time in particular, just gotta text home to keep them updated,’ Bokuto replied, shaking his phone at Akaashi.  
  
That’s when he caught a glimpse of Bokuto’s lockscreen. _Huh_.  
  
‘You actually set it as your lockscreen,’ Akaashi breathed, feeling a blush creep up his neck but being utterly outdone by the shade of red that Bokuto flushed as he snatched the phone back to his chest.  
  
It was the picture from last night, the one of Akaashi in bed.  
Now he looked at it in the light of day he was a little embarrassed that Kuroo had also apparently seen the image.  
The hem of his collar was riding a little low, exposing his collarbone, eyes made half-lidded by genuine tiredness at the time but without that excuse now Akaashi would have to label them ‘bedroom eyes’.  
  
‘It’s a good picture,’ Bokuto bit back defensively.  
  
‘Well, it’s just no fair, is it?’ Akaashi cooed, grabbing his phone from the bedside table and rolling to hover over Bokuto, snapping a quick picture in the process. ‘Now we’re matching.’ Akaashi said with a quiet laugh, putting his phone down on the bed beside him.  
  
Bokuto’s eyes were wide behind those frames which, once again, were not sitting straight on his face - he was raised onto his elbows, shocked and pinned. But he wasn’t moving, _why wasn’t he moving?_  
  
‘Bokut-’  
  
‘Keiji,’ his name was guttural on Bokuto’s tongue, hitting him in the stomach before the ears, he could feel the vibrations of it between his thighs as Bokuto dropped his head and swallowed hard. ‘D’you like my glasses?’  
  
The question caught him off guard, he almost fell forward onto Bokuto’s shoulders as the other hiked himself up the bed a little - moving his torso out from underneath Akaashi and settling him on his lap instead.  
  
‘Erm, yes?’ Akaashi said, he did like them _a lot_ but Bokuto wasn’t asking in the way he usually did for compliments - his eyes were curious, head cocked expectantly. ‘They… look _good_ on you but-’  
  
He could feel his body moving of its own accord as he rose onto his knees and leaned forward, bracing one hand on the mattress as the other ghosted over the frames.  
  
‘They’re not straight.’ _And neither am I.  
_  
He adjusted Bokuto’s glasses for him, pushing them up his nose once more - watching Bokuto go cross-eyed as he followed the motion.  
A heavy silence fell over them, broken as Bokuto’s hands settled on the back of Akaashi’s thighs and trailed up to the small of his back.  
  
‘Akaashi?’ Bokuto began softly.  
  
‘Yes, Bokuto-san?’ Akaashi replied, arching his back into Bokuto’s touch as his hands pushed their way beneath his t-shirt.  
  
‘Can I kiss you?’ His fingers were cold as they wandered up Akaashi’s spine, thumbs wrapping about his torso, an unconscious shudder passing through him as they brushed across either side of his ribcage.  
  
‘Please,’ Akaashi said, trying to keep the desperation out his voice and failing miserably.  
  
Despite the attention Akaashi received for his looks, his deadpan personality didn’t always mesh well with his admirers, that’s partially why he’d remained unencumbered throughout high school - and intended to keep it that way until his ace wormed his way under his skin.  
  
But he and Bokuto had a good ebb and flow - Bokuto’s exuberant nature rose Akaashi up whilst he helped keep Bokuto grounded.  
They knew each other in a way that was... cosmic.  
  
That’s how he’d described their first kiss too, ebbing and flowing.  
Bokuto seemed to know what he was doing, setting a slow pace that Akaashi followed with his own gentle presses of his lips.  
  
Akaashi’s still wasn’t quite sure what to do with his hands, all his weight was held up by one arm - the other hand holding Bokuto’s face as they traded languid kisses.  
He figured it out soon enough as Bokuto’s glasses knocked against his nose for the third time and he pulled back to remove them - which, once again, was a mistake.  
  
Bokuto’s eyes flickered open as he pulled away, blinking rapidly as if awaking from a dream, his lips were pink and slick, so much so that Akaashi nearly abandoned his original endeavour to chase after them again.  
  
With wide eyes, Bokuto simply stared as Akaashi plucked the glasses from his face, folded them, and set them neatly down on the bedside table before manoeuvring to face him again.  
  
‘Oh my god,’ Akaashi whined, hiding his face in the crook of Bokuto’s neck.  
  
‘What is it?’ Bokuto asked, sounding nervous.  
  
‘You’re shmm fusgkfn hmm,’ Akaashi mumbled, muffled against Bokuto’s shoulder.  
  
‘What was that?’ Bokuto laughed, amused, the sound rumbling against Akaashi's chest.  
  
‘You’re so fucking hot.’ Akaashi pulled away, hands at his shoulder as he stared back at a wide eyed Bokuto.  
  
‘AKAAShmff-’ his name fell flat on Bokuto’s tongue as he cut him off with a kiss, Bokuto bringing a hand up to his jaw to angle his head back a little so he could press his teeth into Akaashi’s lower lip.  
  
To his surprise, Akaashi’s breath hitched which appeared to only spur Bokuto on, hands fisted in his shirt and one leg bending at the knee to nudge against Akaashi’s thighs and push him forward into the kiss.  
  
Naturally, Akaashi obliged to this change in pace, trying to find happy medium between keeping himself upright, not having to detach himself from Bokuto’s intoxicating physical contact and wanting to strip Bokuto of that tight-fitting baseball shirt and explore the vast expanse of muscle beneath.  
  
As Akaashi pulled back to catch his breath Bokuto took the opportunity to pepper kisses down his neck.  
  
‘No marks,’ Akaashi choked out, scarcely able to keep himself propped up on one shaky arm as the other hand fisted itself in Bokuto’s hair.  
  
He barely managed to suppress a whimper as Bokuto whined dejectedly, still pressing messy open-mouthed kisses down his throat before catching the skin over his collarbones between his teeth.  
  
Akaashi just laughed, pushing him back against the bed, tongue pressed flat up the line of Bokuto’s throat before nipping at the skin lightly.  
  
‘How’d you like to explain them to rest of team Monday, captain? Or to my parents perhaps?’ Akaashi teased, sitting himself back down on Bokuto’s lap as his ace just stared at the ceiling as if still processing what just happened - Akaashi actually wondered for a moment if he’d broken him.  
  
That was before one of Bokuto’s hands gripped him under the thigh, the other pressed flat against his back as he lifted Akaashi into his arms and lay him gently down onto the bed beneath him.  
  
‘I’ll do anything for you,’ Bokuto said, voice was gravelly and low.  
  
‘Anything?’ Akaashi replied, caught off guard by the brazen nature of Bokuto’s confession, his gut curling at the low intonation of his words.  
  
‘Anything,’ Bokuto insisted eagerly, pressing his forehead to Akaashi’s.  
  
‘Then be my boyfriend?’ Bokuto gasped a little, nodding excitedly and very nearly clapping his hands together before catching Akaashi’s mouth in a lingering kiss.  
  
***

Their kisses had turned lazy, Bokuto breaking away to talk about all the amazing dates he was going to take Akaashi on whilst Akaashi would pull away to confirm that there was no way in hell he was going as a plus one to a captains’ paintballing excursion because Bokuto got _way_ too intense - Bokuto insisted that he just played to win.  
  
They were working their way into a messier section of their makeout session as Akaashi tried to meet the flicks of Bokuto’s tongue and Bokuto tried to calm down his boyfriend’s enthusiastic but uncoordinated attempts - when Akaashi felt a tongue lick his cheek, which was a particularly jarring experience when his and Bokuto’s were _most definitely_ accounted for.  
  
‘Oh my god, Mocha,’ Akaashi realised, Bokuto flying off him like his parents had just walked in.  
  
‘No, Mocha, I’m sorry,’ Bokuto wailed, leaning over Akaashi to guiltily scratch behind her ears.  
Akaashi leaned back, breathless, taking the time to scan his eyes over Bokuto who looked thoroughly wrecked with his shirt still bunched up beneath his armpits - Akaashi took a moment to register, _I did that_.  
  
‘Akaashi, apologise to her,’ Bokuto smooshed her face between his hands and turned it to look at him.  
  
‘I’m sorry you had to see that, Mocha,’ Akaashi said, scruffing her head as she smiled dopely.  
  
‘She’s looking at me funny, Keiji, she knew what I was about to do,’ Bokuto bawled, covering his face with his hands.  
Akaashi’s heart skipped a beat or two, _what was he about to do?_  
  
‘Well, you should probably be heading home now,’ Akaashi said reluctantly, noticing the setting sun through his window.  
  
‘Do… do you want me to go?’ A wave of regret washed over Akaashi as Bokuto looked up to him dejectedly, he took Bokuto’s hand in his.  
  
‘No, but I also don’t want your mother calling my parents wondering what I’ve done with her son,’ Akaashi laughed lightly as Bokuto just whined at his reasonable answer and buried his head up the front of Akaashi’s shirt.  
  
‘You could always…’ Akaashi trailed off anxiously, recalling exactly what time his parents said they’d be back - even then they had a spare room but _who was he kidding?_ They weren’t going to use that. ‘Stay here?’  
  
Bokuto pulled back, a golden reflection from his eyes glinting from within Akaashi’s shirt as he pressed a kiss to his stomach and mumbled happily.  
  
Akaashi fell back against the bed, petting Mocha with his foot as she curled up beside his bed and pulling his t-shirt up so he could run his fingers through Bokuto’s hair as he pillowed himself on Akaashi’s stomach.  
  
His mind was blissfully blank - filled with promises he knew he’d fulfill, with plans Bokuto had already made that he knew he’d not be able to escape from even if he wanted to.  
They could lie here a little longer, everything else could wait.  
  
***  
  
With Bokuto’s parents made aware of their freshly planned sleepover, tea made and consumed, both were ready for a quiet night in.  
  
Akaashi had managed to pry Bokuto off him long enough for the two of them to take Mocha out for her evening walk, even slipping his hand into Bokuto’s when they strolled about less populated areas.  
  
They were laid out on the sofa now; Akaashi on his back, Bokuto between his legs - and Mocha between his - with his head rested back on Akaashi’s chest.  
  
‘Why do you like me, Akaashi? Why not someone else?’ It took restraint to not blurt out that he hadn’t even considered anyone else since he first lay eyes on Bokuto, even after their first conversation when Akaashi realised Bokuto’s brain was usually occupied solely with volleyball noises.  
  
‘Because you’re loyal and sweet, like a dog- I mean-’ Akaashi stumbled over his words, struggling exactly to pinpoint what it was that made Bokuto so utterly enchanting.  
  
‘No, no, dogs are good. And cute. I’ll accept the compliment,’ Bokuto grinned, craning his neck to look up at him.  
  
‘You’re just incessantly positive and passionate about everything you do, I always have to consider ‘ _why_ ’ but you drown all that out. I can just… _be_.’ Akaashi confessed sheepishly.  
  
‘Wow,’ Bokuto breathed, face contorting into confusion as he thought it over. ‘So you think I make things.. quiet?’  
  
‘Not quite,’ Akaashi said, smiling coyly. ‘But I don’t mind the noise.’  
  
***

‘Hey, Bokuto! Is Akaashi there?’ Kuroo’s voice sounded over Bokuto’s phone speakers as he answered the video call, lay out on his stomach at the foot of Akaashi’s bed.  
  
‘You have his number, why not just call him directly?’ Bokuto pouted, feeling a little used.  
  
‘Because he never even answers my texts!’ Kuroo cried indignantly.  
  
‘Because they’re always just ugly pictures of me from the training camp,’ Akaashi piped up from the top of the bed where he was scrolling absentmindedly through his own phone.  
  
‘No one believes they exist but I know, the truth is out there,’ Kuroo said, grinning smugly as Bokuto scowled.  
  
‘What did you want, Kuroo?’ Bokuto asked.  
  
‘Oh just checking in to see if you’d finished rearranging Akaashi’s guts,’ Kuroo teased, making Akaashi audibly choke as Bokuto dropped his phone.  
Akaashi slithered on top of Bokuto’s back as he flushed red and hot, easily supporting their combined weight as Akaashi righted his phone and Kuroo cackled on the other end.  
  
‘So I assume Kenma isn’t over, do you not have anyone else to bother?’ Akaashi drawled, mouth quirking up as a flash of annoyance passed across Kuroo’s smug facade.  
  
‘Nah, he’s just worn out,’ Kuroo flashed another blinding smile and resting his head back on his hand.  
  
‘Hard practise?’ Akaashi guessed, grinning more obviously as Kuroo’s cocky taunts were torn down again.  
  
‘Yeah,’ he sighed, turning the camera to show his setter tucked up in his bed, sleeping soundly - earning a chorus of _aw’s_ from Bokuto and Akaashi. ‘Shut it, you’ll wake him up.’  
  
Akaashi just hummed and pressed a kiss behind Bokuto’s ear.  
  
‘Ugh, I only called to make fun of you, don’t be so damn proud of yourselves - like you wouldn’t still be completely oblivious to each other without my work behind the scenes,’ Kuroo insisted.  
Akaashi ignored him in favour of pepper kisses down Bokuto’s face and relishing the way he nearly dropped the phone in favour of leaning into Akaashi’s touch.  
  
‘You two are gross and I love you both, I love your love. Kuroo out.’ And with that Nekoma’s captain disappeared from their screen and Bokuto rolled onto his back to map Akaashi’s face with affectionate pecks.  
  
***

Akaashi’s three step plan was utterly null and void because he _liked_ being around Bokuto.  
They were getting better at giving each other space and negotiating their relationship in public - Bokuto had told his siblings who now teased him to no end but each had taken Akaashi aside and warned him that if he ever, heaven forbid, hurt Koutarou no one would ever find his body.  
Akaashi thought that might have been a bit much, especially since his elder twin brothers had spoken it in unison.  
  
When Akaashi finally ( _officially_ ) brought Bokuto around (rather than his usual late night B&Es up the drainpipe outside Akaashi's bedroom window) his parents had been thrilled to meet him, even if it had just been as friends.  
  
The team was a little trickier because their unity as a group was essential to their whole dynamic but even they reaped the benefits of their new kind of partnership.  
They saw it when Akaashi had refused to try a new setting technique because he didn’t believe he had the skills to pull it off and Bokuto insisted he do it until could hit it perfectly - their hands had been red raw but it had been worth it to see Akaashi's surprise at his own abilities.  
  
It happened in a match once too, when Bokuto had nearly slipped into emo mode after a particularly fierce spike had been completely shut down by the blockers and Akaashi had simply said that if Bokuto was tired he’d toss to the other spikers more.  
In response, Bokuto had hit the ball so hard it nearly split one of the blockers fingers in two.  
  
There were other things too that the team would prefer not to notice, like when they’d both slip into the showers together when everyone else had _presumably_  gone home for the night, Komi discovered, when he’d walked in on them towelling each other off and Akaashi couldn’t meet his eye for a week.  
  
Or when Akaashi had slid a hand up Bokuto’s shorts to push his knee pads further up his legs and Bokuto had gotten so flustered he received a ball with his face and bled all over Washio’s jersey - which had not made it out unstained, although perhaps they could use that as an intimidation tactic.  
  
Things were good, he was already preemptively missing Bokuto as his senior year drew to a close but Bokuto had insisted no matter what university he got into he’d come visit Akaashi everyday - and then Akaashi told him he’d be broke within the month if he did that so they'd both settled that a weekend or so whenever either of them could would be enough.  
  
It would hurt to not fall asleep in his arms or walk to school with their fingers tangled together but just the knowledge that whenever Akaashi was thinking about him, Bokuto was somewhere doing the same.  
That no matter how many nights he’d look out his window at night, wondering if his boyfriend was doing the same, Akaashi knew that there was a star out there with a piece of his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tysm for reading!! again i have to stress that i'm so damn anxious about sharing my work but all your comments have been SO nice and i'm really happy when y'all enjoy my fics so thanks again!!


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